BC HAD A BIG WIN TOO

With the ending of the MLB regular season, the Patriots beating the Ravens, and the Bruins rolling over the Hurricanes, BC's Saturday afternoon win over Florida State has gone a little unnoticed.

The Eagles tried their best to blow this one, just as they tried to blow last week's win over Wake Forest. BC was up 21-3 late in the 2nd quarter, and went into halftime with a 21-6 lead.

The score remained 21-6 for most of the 3rd quarter. BC only had to hang on for 16 more minutes, but allowed a pair of ultra-fast Florida State scoring drives. But that's when Jacksonville's Montel Harris exploded, rushing 42 yards for the game winning touchdown.

Harris rushed for 179 yards and 2 TDs. Harris has already matched his touchdown total from last season with 5.

Now this wasn't your older brother's Florida State Seminoles. They're 2-3. They barely beat Jacksonville State. Then again, they also beat BYU, and their two losses are against ranked teams (South Florida, Miami).

That being said, it was on national TV, with ESPN's College GameDay broadcasting on campus, and very few people thought the Eagles would get to 4 wins at all, let alone be 4-1. It was also a divisional win. The ACC Atlantic Division winner will probably have 5 conference wins, and BC already has 2.

The Eagles are also very close to bowl eligibility, which also seemed like a far-fetched dream in the preseason. They need 2 more wins in their remaining 7 games in order to achieve this.

Next week's task is a tall one. BC has to go down to Blacksburg and play the #5 Virginia Tech Hokies. It's a pipe dream, but a win there would be epic. I predict a BC loss, but that's to be expected.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

5 YARD PENALTY FOR PLEADING

We've all seen the replay a million times. Tom Brady turning to the refs and asking for a roughing the passer penalty.

Was it a good call? Yes. Is it a good rule? No. It needs to be expanded upon.

Rodney Harrison called out Brady for his lobbying. And rightfully so. Before Anti-Patriot Nation (also known as the USA southwest of Hartford) goes nuts about this, Harrison and Brady are friends. And Brady's not the only football player who's looked for a call.

But he should be the last.

It's bad enough the NFL makes these over-protective rules. What's worse is when players whine and moan after dropping a ball. The rules are lame, the whining is lame, it's just lame upon lame.

So make a new rule. Any player that gestures to an official, looking to get a call, will have his team penalized 5 yards. It'll be an after whistle kind of penalty, so plays won't be altered or called back because of it. A 50 yard pass won't be negated, it'll simply be 1st & 15 instead of 1st & 10.

Receivers flicking their wrist, pretending to throw the yellow flag: that's 5 yards. What Brady did: that's 5 yards. Defenders doing the holding sign with their hands: 5 yards.

LESTER, BECKETT, THEN BUCHHOLZ

That's the 1-2-3 the Sox rotation will be in to start the impending ALDS against the Angels. And I couldn't agree more with it. While Beckett is Beckett, and is capable of outstanding brilliance; it's been Lester who's truly been the rock of the rotation. Lester's reliable, Beckett hasn't been.

Then there's the decision to place Buchholz in front of Matsuzaka. And I like that call, as well. Buchholz is the more consistent of the two, and is the more likely to give 7+ innings.

In any Game 3, you'll either be up 2-0, down 2-0, or tied 1-1.

If up 2-0, you don't want to ease off, but it isn't imperative to win. You'll still have Game 4, which will also be at Fenway.

If down 2-0, it doesn't matter who starts because everyone with an arm is available to throw. You're desperate, and you want a guy like Buchholz who is more likely to go out there and give you a lights out performance.

Daisuke is the perfect guy to have in a Game 4. The Sox will either be up 2-1, or down 2-1. Down 2-1, Matsuzaka can have his token 5 innings, but guys like Lester and Beckett can help the bullpen and throw an inning of middle relief. Up 2-1 is a similarly precarious situation, because you don't want to lose and play a Game 5 on the road.

I think the Sox playoff rotation is set-up as best as it could be.